The Queen and the Knight
by CallmeCordelia1
Summary: Bash stumbles upon Catherine and strikes up a conversation. Warning this is not a romance.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing

AN: So this is just a one-shot I wrote a while ago. Any one-shots have the potential to become a series if there is interest and if creativity allows.

This was her sanctuary. No one ever ventured out to this secluded space at the edge of the Blood Wood. Sitting upon a fallen tree trunk and burying her face in her hands, Catherine could finally allow the anger and frustration to flow forth. Henry had left for Paris that morning with his precious Diane in tow. They needed a 'getaway' according to servants' gossip. Without so much as a farewell from her husband, all of the tedious responsibilities the he had neglectfully permitted to pile up were heaped upon Catherine. All morning she had been meeting with councilmen and putting out fires. She needed to clear her mind and silence the endless droning of the idiots that Henry employed. Honestly, it was a wonder that there was even an empire to govern with these men at the helm. Increase the already ridiculous taxes to fund pointless tournaments? Of course we should give peasants greater cause to riot. Send the majority of the military to the border of Calais? Yes, because that wouldn't provoke an English attack! That wouldn't leave the rest of the country undefended! Enough! She came out here to escape these ludicrous strategies.

Just then a little face appeared. Crouched on all fours and peering up at her face held in her hands was the king's handsome little bastard.

"Are you sick?" He spoke with the slightest lisp.

She straightened her posture. She had never actually spoken to Diane's son. He was generally accompanied by his mother or one of the women in her service.

"Where's your nanny? You shouldn't be out here alone."

He rocked back onto his feet in a squat. "They think I'm in bed. I snucked out through the window. I hate naps! Besides I'm not alone, you're here,"

"Why don't you like naps?" For the life of her she didn't know why she was asking questions, continuing a conversation with the boy, but she found herself mesmerised by the dancing blue eyes before her.

"Cause naps are boring! There's lots of stuff to do out here. The woods are fun! Is that why you're out here?" He sat next to her on the fallen log.

"No, I came out here to think."

"Are you scheming? My mama says you are always scheming. 'Scheming' is a fun word to say, isn't it?"

"Your mother would probably not want you talking to me."

"Yeah, she wouldn't like it. That's why I never talked to you before, but she isn't here and I just won't tell her. You don't seem evil to me."

"Oh, I assure you, I am quite terrifying."

"Mama said you want to chop our heads off." He made a chopping motion with his hand. "She said you would like to wear our teeth around your neck like the people in the New World do. I have a loose tooth, wanna feel it?" Before she could protest he had her index finger in his mouth and was wiggling his front tooth vigorously.

"That's very nice."

"It's the only one that's loose, but you can have it if you want?"

It took everything in her to refrain from laughing. "Hmmm… Well, if you only have one tooth to offer that wouldn't make much of a necklace. I suppose I'll have to keep to the jewelry I already have."

"Yeah, this one is very nice." He reached up and played with the jewels at her throat, "It's blue. That's Francis' favourite colour. Mine is probably green."

"It was a gift. Francis chose the stone for my birthday."

"Oh yeah! He told me that Papa was gonna let him pick your present! I didn't get you anything, but if you like I could hunt a bear for you and you could wear its fur. My mama really likes fur." As he spoke he looked around in search of any bears in the area. "I'm not scared of bears, you know, because I'm gonna be a knight."

Hearing him call her husband 'Papa' pricked her heart. "I think it best we head back to the castle. Your nanny will be looking for you. Come along, Sebastian."

"Oh good! You know my name. I was wondering about that 'cause we never talked before. Your name is Catherine, but you're a queen so I'm supposed to call you Queen Catherine, right?"

She finally broke down and smiled, "Since it's just the two of us, I guess you can call me just Catherine."

His animated little face lit up. "I'm glad we're friends now. You have the best stories!"

`"What do you mean?"

"When you tell Francis and Lizzie and Claude stories at bedtime, I listen with my ear on the door like this." He demonstrated on the nearest tree.

"Well, I don't think any of them would mind if you came in and joined us for story time instead of listening at the door."

He shook his little head, "No, Christine, my nanny, wouldn't let me, but if you talk real loud that would be good. Sometimes I can't hear when your voice gets soft."

They made their way back to the castle and Bash sprinted off to find his panic-stricken nanny as Catherine headed into the throne room to do battle with boredom.

That night in the nursery, Catherine made sure that her voice carried as she told the story of the brave, bear-wrestling knight who came upon a queen in the enchanted forest.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Reign

The Queen's skirts whisked over the vibrant, dewy grass as she made her way across the northern lawn with the castle groundskeeper in tow.

"Hard as it may be to believe, there are other matters that require my attention, so do you suppose we could pick up the pace? I had hoped to see the blooming options for the northeast tree line sometime before the second coming of Christ, if you don't mind." Her impatience rang clear and one of the Queen's eyebrows arched precariously high causing the gardener to adopt an amusing scuttle as he struggled under his heavy load of shrubbery.

"_Catherine._"

At the edge of the clearing Catherine paused and cast a glance around, almost certain that she had heard her name.

Again she heard a hushed voice calling to her. "Catherine! Psst, Catherine, look up h- WHOA!" With a crash the whisperer landed at the base of a large tree.

Uncaring for anything but the well-being of the crumpled heap before her, she knelt on the damp ground and began inspecting him for injuries.

"Oh! Are you alright, dear? No, lie still for me." With the tenderness of a mother, Catherine brushed away the tears that Bash was valiantly trying to hold back. She could not fail to notice the swelling present in his bare left foot.

Turning to the gardener, she kept her tone even for the child's sake. "While standing there with your mouth agape is _exceedingly helpful_, perhaps you should go fetch Nostradamus instead."

When the man remained frozen on the spot her lips curled into a snarl and she articulated her next words in a deadly calm voice. "_Now_ if your life is of any value to you."

While the man scurried towards the castle entrance, Queen Catherine returned her attention to the little scamp before her and held up three fingers. "How many fingers do you see?"

Catherine's warmth made Bash feel a little better. "Ummm… ninety-seven." He managed a cheeky smile for her benefit.

The Queen returned his smile. "Oh-ho! So you think you're my new jester, do you? Now, where have you left your nanny this time?"

"I don't need a nanny no more 'cause I'm growned up." His chest puffed out proudly in spite of his sniffle.

"I see. So is poor Christine to be out of a job?" Catherine marveled at herself for recalling the name of the woman charged with the care of her husband's bastard.

The thought of his nanny being dismissed did not sit well with Bash. He had grown fond of her, even if he _was_ too old for a nanny. "Hmmm… Maybe she can still be my nanny for a little bit longer."

"I'm sure she will be glad to hear it. If memory serves, someone has a name day coming up." Catherine had been subjected to an endless prattle over the upcoming name day. The festivities that Diane had planned in honour of Sebastian were lavish, if tedious, and the guest list consisted of only five children, including Bash. Francis was invited, of course, as was his bride-to-be, the little Queen of Scotland. Lizzie was also invited, but baby Claude had a touch of colic and Diane claimed that crying children were hardly suitable guests. Diane also had invited a wealthy noble Lord and his daughter, a prospective match for her son. The list of important courtiers invited to the child's celebration grew daily, as did the bill. A feast of rich delicacies was being prepared, hundreds of casks of the finest wine in all of France were collected, a troop of actors had been commissioned to perform a play featuring the goddess Diana, and the woman even had Bash practicing daily for the welcome speech which he was to recite before the Court. Catherine very much doubted that Bash would mind if the entire celebration was cancelled as none of the planned merriment seemed to cater to the interests of this rough-and-tumble boy.

"If you could have any one thing for your name day, what would it be?" She hoped that talk of gifts would distract him from his discomfort.

"Well… What I really, truly want is a dog. Papa has a bunch and Francis and Lizzie has ones, too, but my mama doesn't like dogs. She thinks they're smelly and messy, but sometimes I'm messy and she still wants to keep me." His beautiful blue eyes were downcast at the thought that he would never get the pup that his heart desired.

"Hmmm… That does present a problem." _When has Diane de Poitiers not presented a problem?_ "Ah! Here comes Nostradamus. He will take you to the infirmary. I will have your father summoned to join you there." She made to stand as Nostradamus approached, until she felt a little hand clasp onto her own.

"Will _you_ please stay with me?" The look in his eyes as he sweetly petitioned her got the better of her and her maternal heart could not deny his request.

She didn't quite meet his gaze, instead brushing some dirt away from his torn shirt. "I will accompany you, if you like."

Much comforted by Catherine's continued presence, Bash went willingly into Nostradamus' strong, but surprisingly gentle arms. It could even be said that he enjoyed being toted around by such a tall individual, as it gave him an excellent vantage point from which to see all of the goings-on. However, in the darkness of the infirmary, his joy evaporated and was replaced by an anxiety over what was to come next.

Nostradamus was careful as he splinted the injured foot, but Bash's face contorted into a frown and he dug his nails into the cot beneath him. The sight of a child, any child, in pain was something that Catherine could not bear.

Pulling up a stool, she pried his fingers off the bed linens and wrapped his white knuckles around her hand.

"You're being very brave, Sebastian."

An appreciative smile broke through the pained grimace. "I gotta be brave. Knights are always brave."

"Did you know that courage is not the only important part of being a knight? A _true_ knight is also kind and fair. He always keeps his promises and, most importantly of all, he must help and defend those who need him."

He nodded solemnly, trying to keep his leg still. "I will do those things."

Gently squeezing his hand, "You already do." She leaned down and spoke in a conspiratorial whisper. "Would you like to know a secret?"

His blue eyes were swimming with tears, but he nodded excitedly.

"I heard on good authority that all of the supplies to make a special chocolate cake have been ordered. I wonder who that could be for?" With her free hand she tapped her chin as though she were deliberating.

A short giggle escaped him before he winced as the splint was adjusted. Once he recovered his composure, he squeezed her hand as he whispered back. "Chocolate is my favourite."

Smiling, she nodded. "Mine too."

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The feast was decadent, even if the company was a bore. Catherine enjoyed an apple tart as she watched the name day boy open his gifts. Because of his injury he had been regulated to one of the opulently festooned tables with his damaged ankle propped up all night long. There he sat, smiling gratefully as he tore away the paper revealing yet another leather ball. This one made four.

When at last the massive stack of presents was opened, the food had been devoured, and the guests, mostly strangers, were busy dancing or chatting, Bash was left on his own. The smile he had worn all night relaxed, finally revealing his disappointment. Laying his head on the table and swinging his one dangling foot, Bash imagined what his name day could have been like. Just himself, his parents, his siblings… and Catherine. They could spend the day by the lake. They could swim and ride and then his Papa would give him the present he wanted more than anything in the whole world.

Just then, his reverie was broken by something cold and wet grazing his hand. He opened his eyes to see a shaggy, spotted pup with a bow around his neck. Bash straightened his posture in amazement and the pup hopped into Bash's lap, licking his face.

All traces of Bash's gloominess vanished and he called with a jubilant shout over the loud music. "Mama! Papa! Look! A dog! Can you believe it? I gotted a dog!"

To a certain gift-giver's satisfaction, Diane's face revealed a mixture of disgust and disdain. Henry, on the other hand, was pleasantly bewildered as he made his way towards the newest addition to the family. "Who's it from, Bash?"

"The tag doesn't tell who him is from. It just says _To: Sebastian_." Bash's eyes searched the room hoping that someone would step forward to claim the surprise, but none did. He kept scanning until he caught sight of Queen Catherine speaking with one of her ladies and Bash was _almost_ certain that he saw her wink at him.

AN: So I received several lovely reviews that encouraged me to continue this little story. I think it will be a short one, about 5-6 chapters provided that there is still interest, but I hope each one is enjoyable. The chapters are meant to be like random snapshots of Catherine and Bash's interactions over several years' time. Please let me know what you think. Xoxo!


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